Full-Figured Diva

Monday, October 4, 2010

Last weekend after book club, my tee~tee and I headed over to "The Beat Goes On" at the Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival . This event celebrates multiculturalism and brings people together from all walks of life in Southern California and from around the world. "Dedicated to percussion and the traditional role of drumming in human societies, the Drum Festival is held in the center of Watts, at the site of the Watts Towers.

The historic Watts Towers are seventeen major sculptures that were created by Sabato "Simon Rodia, an Italian immigrant, out of steel that was covered with mortar and decorated with a variety of embedded mosaic tiles, shells, glass from broken bottles, ceramic pieces of broken plates, and rocks. The sculptures were a 33-year obsession, which the artist worked on from 1921 until 1955, calling his steel structures Nuestro Pueblo (Our Town). Tours of Rodia's Towers were held throughout the weekend, as the events brought together artisans, musicians, food vendors and music lovers. The diverse crowd fanned out into the various areas of the festival, which was free and open to the public. Some browsed the ethnic goods available at merchants' booths while many others remained seated in front of the main stage area or in the area of the Drum Circle. To read more on "Simon Rodia and history of the Watts Tower, visit here.